Arts Society Farnham Evening

James Renshaw, will speak on Two Hellenistic Cities: Alexandria and Pergamon. By 323 BC Alexander the Great had conquered the Persian empire and launched a new era of Mediterranean history, known today as the Hellenistic Age. The world had changed, and soon two cities emerged as centres of extraordinary culture and learning. In Egypt, Alexander conceived a vision of a new city to take his name: Alexandria. It soon became the intellectual hub of the ancient world, which saw extraordinary discoveries in science and mathematics, philosophy, and medicine. Meanwhile, in north-west Asia Minor, the Attalid kingdom developed a new capital city, Pergamon, as a cultural centre to rival Alexandria. This talk explains how these two cities changed the intellectual and artistic landscape and examines their legacy. Following a degree in Classics from Oxford University, James has taught Classics at secondary school level since 1998, and currently teaches at Godolphin and Latymer in London; here he runs the school’s Ancient World Breakfast Club, which has an ethos similar to that of The Arts Society. He has also published several textbooks related to the classical world and has lectured at the V & A Academy. Guests are most welcome; come to a talk as a visitor for £8. Free parking and a glass of wine are included! To book a space please contact theartssocietyfarnhamevening@gmail.com; for further information visit the Society’s website www.theartssocietyfarnhamevening.org.uk